6 European nations blast Israel's settlement expansion in West Bank

Leaders of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom jointly condemn Israel's move to publish construction tenders for the E1 settlement project in the West Bank and urge the decision to be retracted.

Tel Aviv has published a tender for 1,234 housing units for its controversial settlement project in the region, covering part of a wider plan for over 3,000 units in E1, an area east of Jerusalem.

Over 700,000 Israeli settlers are said to be residing in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem.

In a joint statement issued by the Elysee Palace, leaders of the six European countries warned the expansion of the "illegal" Israeli settlement will sever the West Bank, harm territorial contiguity of the Palestinian Territories and undermine the prospects of a two-state solution.

The statement read: "We reiterate our commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution. We will continue to act in its interest."

The leaders prompted an end to Israel's settlement expansion and stressed the plans would steer the region further away from peace.

They also cited potential legal and reputational consequences, such as the risk of breaching the international law, that could wreak havoc on businesses participating in the construction tenders.

The United Nations on Wednesday said it is "alarmed" by reports of Israel's new illegal settlement outposts, while blasting an Israeli military operation in the southern West Bank that put tens of thousands of Palestinian residents under curfew.

Meanwhile in Gaza City, mass funerals were recently held for 50 Palestinians from three families who were killed under Israeli fire in the initial months of the war. Bodies draped in Palestinian flags were carried by mourners through the streets before being lowered into graves at a cemetery.

A relative of the victims says with the help of civil defense, they were able to recover their martyrs and pray over them following three years of anguish, pain and torture.

On Tuesday, at least eight people, including women and four Hamas members, were killed in another Israeli strike on a cafe in the seaport area which shelters hundreds of displaced families for many months.

Condemning the latest attack, Hamas says it is apprarently aimed at sabotaging ongoing efforts towards a ceasefire.

{Danni Zhou TVB News}

{6 European countries condemn Israel's expansion of settlements in West Bank}

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